A Place to Be
by Cantcatchthefox
Summary: Hermione's found a diary that fills her with rage and hate.  It's pushing her away from her friends.  Will anyone be able to save her?    Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters you recognize from the lovely, beautiful, and talented J.K. Rowling.


Hermione looked around, running her fingers through her thick brown hair. Her face was expressionless as she walked down the corridor. She came up to the wall and sighed. She looked around, making sure that nobody was lurking behind corners. She knew that Harry, her best friend, could be hiding underneath the cloak that he had gotten for Christmas so many years ago, but then again there was a Quidditch match; he would be out on the pitch, and so would Ron and Ginny.

Hermione quickly thought of what she needed, muttering under her breath, "A place to be safe? Who am I hiding from? Nobody. A place to get my thoughts together? I could do that in the common room."

She continued running her fingers through her hair, and the thought dawned on her, "Somewhere to get away."

Hermione walked in front of the wall where the room of requirement was and thought to herself _somewhere to get away_. Just as she crossed the wall where the door would appear a third time, a voice called out. "Hey, Granger. What're you doing? Your boyfriends are out on the Quidditch pitch," the cold voice of Malfoy rang out in the halls.

Hermione turned around, taking her hand away from her hair, and positioned it near her pocket, in case Draco were to try something. The expression on Malfoy's face changed once he saw her intentions if anything were to happen. "Remember third year, Malfoy? I'm not afraid of you."

Hermione felt perspiration running down her neck, but she didn't want to show that she was even a bit nervous.

"Oh, I'm not going to do anything to you, Granger. At least not today." He stared at her, she saw his eyes darting to her pocket, where her wand was,

"Shouldn't you be out supporting your house? They're playing us." Draco said, leaning against the wall.

Hermione was surprised that Draco had gone this long without calling her a mudblood. She stared at him, her face as hard as stone. She looked past Malfoy, making sure none of his goons were anywhere to be found, but he was alone.

"I didn't feel like going to the game. I'm not feeling well," Hermione said, her voice staying calm. She normally wasn't this nervous around him; she normally had Harry and Ron by her side, but she was alone. In an empty school. Hermione leaned back against the wall, to show Draco that she was relaxed, but her hand remained next to her pocket just in case,

"Well, why are you wandering the halls?" Draco said, smoothing back his hair. Hermione's eyes narrowed, why was he asking her all these questions? Why was he even here?

"What are you doing here then?" Hermione asked, crossing her arms.

Draco sighed, "I've got a few things to do, what's it matter to you?"

He turned around, walking away quickly, his hand holding his side. Hermione turned back to the wall and sighed. There was no use trying to get into the room now; she was too tense. She took off down the corridor, her cloak billowing behind her. She ran up the stairs, almost falling several times.

Hermione reached the portrait, "Lotterment." The portrait swung open, and she walked in.

The Quidditch game was already over, and the team was in the common room, celebrating. "Hermione!" Ron called, running over to her, "We won! Again! Slytherin didn't stand a chance against us, especially with Ginny and Harry." He looked back at his sister and best friend exchanging kisses. Hermione wondered if it bothered him that they were together.

"That's great, Ron." Hermione pushed past him, and headed up to the girls dormitory.

"Hermione! Come and celebrate!" Ginny ran up the stairs, catching Hermione's arm.

Hermione turned around, seeing that Ginny's face was radiant. She saw Harry and Ron, whispering to one another, staring her way.

"Yeah, alright. I've gotta do something really quick, I'll be back.." Hermione shook away from Ginny's grip, and continued going up the stairs. She opened the door, and went directly to her trunk. She pulled out the book that she was looking for, it was her diary. She looked at it and sighed. She put it in her pocket and closed the trunk, making her way back down the stairs. "You know what guys? I'm going to go to the library, sorry."

She made her way out of the portrait hole, and took off down the stairs. She had to get rid of this diary, now. She took the steps two at a time, turning around a corner, crying out in surprise she was thrown against the wall.

"Granger! What the hell?" She looked around and saw Malfoy on the ground, holding his side.

"Sorry." she said, continuing on her way.

She ran as fast as she could, turning corners until she came to the castle doors. She took off down the steps towards Hagrid's cabin, tripping and stumbling as she went. She saw no smoke coming from the cabin, so that meant that he wasn't there; he must've been either somewhere on the grounds or in the castle. It was almost dinner time, so that meant the majority of the students would be inside, meaning no interruptions. Hermione slowed once she got to the edge of the woods and scaled her way along the giant pumpkins. She took off into the woods, taking her wand out of her pocket,

"Lumos!" she half-shouted. She kept running, making sure that she wouldn't trip over the roots from the trees.


End file.
